Grime sensation, Skepta, has unveiled his highly anticipated album, Ignorance is Bliss.
The notable release includes 13 songs featuring extremely talented artists such as Nafe Smallz, J Hus, Wizkid, BBK (Boy Better Know) and many more.
The opening track, Bullet from a Gun, covers everything from lost lovers, the men in the Adenuga family and his new perspective after becoming a father, with standout lyrics:
“All I know is there’s no better feeling than getting home and seeing my little girl in a cot.”
The video features Skepta sitting in one of London’s underground stations, Camden Town.
He is guarding a pram while the busy and fast-paced city of London surrounds him.
As the album goes on, Skepta’s sensational wordplay and skippy flow flicks between nostalgic thoughts, contemplation, and his place in the world as a voice for the younger generation.
He reminisces about lovers in most tracks but throughout Same Old Story, he expresses his vulnerable side and his past relationships that haven’t worked out.
The MC explains that relationships these days are more about what people think should happen based on ‘relationship goals’ rather than what works for them as a pair.
In essence, describing relationships these days like a tally chart and both parties are fighting to win points.
Love Me Not samples a chopped-up version of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Murder on the Dancefloor, which gives major old school garage vibes and features Cheb Rabi and B Live.
The finishing track, Pure Water, was Skepta’s follow-up release after his 2016 album, Konnichiwa.
Joseph Junior Adenuga – better known by his stage name, Skepta – is a British grime MC, record producer, video producer and founder of the UK grime collective, BBK.
The Tottenham MC made an iconic comeback in 2016, with the best grime album of the decade, Konnichiwa – which smashed the top ten in the official charts and inspired up-and-coming MCs to broaden their sound.
He admitted he wanted to show a range of different sounds on his latest album and refresh the game.
The Shutdown hitmaker has done just that with not one song mirroring the other.
The UK’s rap and grime artists have become increasingly important in the growth of the music scene with the likes of Dave, slowthai, Stormzy, AJ Tracey, and so many more topping the official charts.
Chatting to Annie Mac and DJ Target on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra, Skepta said:
“Breaking America isn’t a thing anymore – people don’t want to just break America. People understand this world and if you do this London thing it goes everywhere – people want to know what slang we speak here, people want to know what we wear, people want to know what we do, what clubs we go to and stuff like that.”
From Bullet from a Gun to Love Me Not (featuring Cheb Rabi and B Live), the 41-minute-long album utilises a range of sounds and captivating beats that capture the beauty of grime music.
The track list includes:
Bullet from a Gun
Greaze Mode ft. Nafe Smallz
Redrum ft. Key!
No Sleep
What do you Mean? ft. J Hus
Going Through It
Same Old Story
Love Me Not ft. Cheb Rabi & B Live
Animal Instinct ft. Lancey Foux
Glow in the Dark ft. Lay Z & Wizkid
You Wish
Gangsta ft. BBK
Pure Water